New York, New York

With a globally recognizable skyline and 8.4 million people who call it home, New York City is bursting with diversity and excitement – from the iconic attractions you've seen on TV and in the movies to hidden gems waiting to be uncovered. Each of the five boroughs – The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island – has a distinctive flavor, while individual neighborhoods maintain identities all their own. Walkable streets and access to the subway, buses and cabs make it easy to get from neighborhood to neighborhood. Whether it's your first visit or your hundredth, there's always something new to do.

The City

New York City may be small in size, but it’s huge in numbers, energy and attitude. It’s the most densely populated city in North America with 8 million citizens on just 830 square kilometers of land. It has always been a city of immigrants, and, even today, about one-third of its citizens are foreign-born. Roughly 138 languages are spoken here, and vibrant new ethnic enclaves pop up all over the city, offering visitors a vast array of interesting cultural and culinary experiences.

While the city pulses with the blood of its newest residents, old New York is still alive and well. Opera still bursts from the venerable stage of the Lincoln Center. Wall Street, the hive of capitalism, still bustles with the excitement and tension of the stock market. And the stately apartments of New York’s wealthy still frame majestic Central Park.

New York has become one of America’s safest cities, and the best way to see it is to walk. Numbered streets in Manhattan make navigation easy and run from east to west, while avenues intersect from north to south (uptown and downtown). New Yorkers are friendly and talkative, and nearly every night of the week the city’s bars and clubs are crowded with revelers. There are several universities in New York, which contribute to keeping the city fresh and young.

LGBT Sites

Iconic Movie Locations

Theater

5 Days of Family Fun across New York

Neighborhoods

New York City hardly needs an introduction, but the city’s five boroughs might.
Brooklyn, The Bronx, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island may all represent one city, but they each have their own personalities and must-see attractions. Get to know the colorful attributes that make each New York City borough unique.

Events

Celebrations and festivities are a year-round – and day-to-night – affair in New York City, making it easy to have your visit to coincide with the merrymaking. Check out this selection of popular festivals, featuring sports, music, art, and international shows and exhibitions.

Nature & Outdoors

New York City is known as a bustling, diverse metropolis, but it’s also a great city for enjoying nature. Spend a day on the water, have a picnic under the trees and marvel at the seasonal blooming flowers – with a New York twist, of course – or indulge in one of the many other outdoor activities the city has to offer.

Learn more at: www.visittheusa.com/destination/new-york-city

Botanical Gardens

City Parks

Bridge Crossing

Boating

Biking

Running

Ice Skating

Kayaking

Do & See

You’ve seen them a million times in the movies, but there’s nothing like taking in these quintessential New York City landmarks in person. First stop, a tour of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, capped with a free ride on the Staten Island Ferry for stellar views of both. Immerse yourself in the bustle and bright lights of Times Square followed by the incomparable spectacle of a Broadway show – both experiences that you can’t find anywhere else but NYC. Explore Rockefeller Center, and take a trip to the top of the Empire State Building. Experience Grand Central Terminal, a unique architectural gem and the city’s major transportation hub. As panoramic scenes go, NYC can’t be beat. Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge for views of New York Harbor or scale 30 Rockefeller Plaza’s Art Deco skyscraper to Top of The Rock, an observatory offering 360-degree views of the city.

Learn more at: www.visittheusa.com/destination/new-york-city

Central Park

Whitney Museum of American Art

Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum

9/11 Tribute Center

Metropolitan Museum of Art

Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)

Empire State Building

Times Square

Statue of Liberty / Ellis Island

Broadway Shows

Bronx Zoo

The High Line

Washington Square Park

World Trade Center and 9/11 Memorial

Rockefeller Center

Madison Square Garden

Bryant Park

Carnegie Hall

Prospect Park

Guggenheim Museum

Staten Island Ferry

Museum of Jewish Heritage

Dining

Dining in New York City can be an inspiring experience for travelers and long-time residents alike. Restaurants and cafes line the streets, and the culinary options are unlimited. Bookmark this list of classics to help you navigate the culinary standouts, including famous delicatessens, notable New York eateries and trendy hot spots from Manhattan to Brooklyn.

Cafes

New York may be better known as a diner city than a cafe city, but it would be wrong to underestimate the cafe scene in the Big Apple. New York City and delis go together like pastrami and rye, and the city holds plenty of tried-and-true legendary restaurants, which range from hot dog stands to finer establishments.

Bars & Nightlife

It's a cliché to say that New York is the “city that never sleeps,” but it's true. No matter what you’re looking for – karaoke, live music, dancing – you can find it at all hours. See the New York Yankees’ historic home ballpark. Head to Madison Square Garden to catch an ice hockey match, basketball game or concert.

Learn more at: www.visittheusa.com/destination/new-york-city

The 40/40 Club

SideBAR

Manhattan Proper

Sky Room Times Square

Latitude

SOB’s

Bowery Ballroom

Esperanto

The Press Lounge

The DL

Hotel Chantelle

McFadden's Saloon

Brooklyn Brewery

The Owl's Head

Shopping

Shopaholics and fashionistas, whisk out your credit cards. New York may very possibly be the best shopping city in the world. Every major chain and label has an outpost here, and there are so many small designer boutiques and markets of all kinds, you’re guaranteed to bring home much more than you had budgeted for. Shopping in New York is quite simply retail heaven.

Midtown

Chinatown/Canal Street

Soho/Prince Street

Lower East Side/St. Marks Ave

Hell’s Kitchen Flea Market

Macy’s

Saks Fifth Avenue

Bloomingdale's

B&H Photo Video and Pro Audio

Journeys

Century 21 Department Store

Bergdorf Goodman

Tiffany & Co.

The Strand

8th Street and St. Mark's Place

Erie Basin

Essential Information

Passport / Visa

Citizens of the Schengen countries, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and the Kingdom of Brunei can visit the United States for up to 90 days without applying for a visa (as well as citizens of Andorra, Lichtenstein, Monaco and San Marino). Citizens of these countries must obtain an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) before traveling. All other travelers must obtain a visa before visiting the United States. International travelers need a passport that is valid for at least 3 months after the end of their intended trip in order to enter the country.

Best Time to Visit

The best times to visit New York City are late spring and early fall, when temperatures are moderate and the rush of tourist crowds is at its very beginning or nearing the end.

JFK International Airport

New York is served by three major airports and JFK is the most well-known one of them all. You can take public transportation or taxis to Manhattan from all airports. There is a flat-rate taxi fare from JFK to Manhattan, but there are also subway and public transport options.

To reach the stops for public transport, you need to use the AirTrain in most cases.

The metro from JFK to Midtown Manhattan takes approximately 60-75 minutes.

There are also different bus services. The local transport company MTA operates several lines going to nearby neighborhoods. The fare is the same as for the metro.

The NYC Airporter is a direct bus line from JFK to Grand Central Station and Penn Station. The journey takes approx. 60 minutes depending on traffic. You can buy tickets online or at the NYC Airporter counter inside the airport.

Address: JFK International Airport, Queens, New York

Phone: +1 718 244 4444

Website: www.jfkairport.com

LaGuardia Airport

This is the airport located closest to Manhattan, which means you can choose from multiple means of transportation to get to the city.

There are public buses as well as the shuttle, NYC Airporter, that goes directly between the airport and Port Authority Bus Terminal, Grand Central Station and Penn Station.

Taxis and vans are also available at the taxi rank outside the terminal building.

Address: LaGuardia Airport, Queens, New York

Phone: +1 718 533 3400

Website: www.laguardiaairport.com

Newark International Airport

Newark International Airport is located in New Jersey and from here you can choose to take a taxi, train or bus to go to the city.

If taxi is your choice of transport, you will find cars waiting outside the arrival hall. It takes approximately 35 minutes to New York City.

There is an AirTrain, transporting passengers from the arrivals hall to the trains (NJ TRANSIT or Amtrak train). It takes approximately 45 minutes from the airport to Penn station.

If you’re going somewhere too far to walk, the subway is the way to go. Most subway lines travel up and down Manhattan, while buses travel across. Subway trains run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can buy a one-week unlimited Metrocard if you know you will be traveling a lot. Ticket machines in subway stations accept cash, credit and debit cards. Subway maps are free at all ticket or information booths.

Website: www.mta.info

Bus

Most buses in Manhattan follow the north-south or east-west grid of the city, primarily on the larger avenues. Bus stops are marked by a light-blue sign on a green post (and include a list of bus numbers and routes), and the fare can be paid either in exact change or with the MetroCard, with which you can transfer for free between metro and bus services. If transferring without a card, the driver can give passengers a free transfer coupon. Buses run frequently and, for the most part, all night, but traffic can make a long ride out of a short distance.

Website: www.mta.info

Taxi

You can hail a yellow cab on almost any street corner. Taxis are inexpensive and an easy way to travel. There are nighttime and rush hour surcharges. Remember to leave a tip. Manhattan has very long streets and avenues and it’s important to know both the address and the cross street of your destination. A taxi is vacant if the yellow light on top of the car is completely lit.

Post

You can buy stamps at many newsagents or at the post office. Official United States Postal Services (USPS) mailboxes are usually blue steel containers on city sidewalks. Many post offices or private mail companies like UPS or FedEx are open 8am-5pm. You'll find the main post office, known as the James Farley Post Office, close to Penn Station.

Address: 421 8th Ave, New York

Phone: +1 212 330 3296

Website: www.usps.com

Pharmacy

Drug stores can be found across the city. Many stores are open 24 hours, but the pharmacies inside tend to close at around 8pm. One of the biggest chains is Duane Reade by Walgreens. You'll find their shops at over 250 locations.

Address: 661 8th Ave, New York

Phone: +1 212 977 1562

Website: www.duanereade.com

Telephone

Country code: +1

Area code: 212

Electricity

US electrical power is 110V/60 cycles AC with two flat parallel prongs.